Method of forming pressed sheet metal spoked wheels



Oct. 26, 1937.- J, MacLENNAN 2,097,101

METHOD 0F FORMING PRESSED SHEET METAL SPOKED WHEELS FiledApril 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 21 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS oct; 26, 1937. J, MMLENNAN 2,097,101

METHOD OF FORMING PRESSED SHEET METAL SFOKED WHEELS Filed April 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I INVENTOR J07! fiacZaW/lazr ATTORNEYS Patented Get. 26, 1937 Unitas stares METHOD OF FORMENG PRESSED SHEET METAL SEOKED WHEELS John MacLennan,

Detroit, Mich, assignor to Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application April 16, 1934, Serial No. 720,872

4 Claims.

The invention relates to the manufacture of pressed sheet metal spoked vehicle Wheels and more particularly to that type in which the spokes are of channel cross section having closed outer ends and merging at their inner ends into a dished annular portion with a reverse dished or cupped inner portion terminating in a radially inwardly extending bolting-on flange. It is the object of the invention to form such structure from a sheet metal and by cold pressing operations, and to this end the invention consists in the method as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank;

Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof;

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections showing the successive drawing operations for forming the cupped center of the blank;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank showing the scalloping of the peripheral edge thereof;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the first spoke forming operation;

Fig. '7 is a plan View illustrating the notching operation;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the second spoke forming operation;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the finishing operation;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the formed member;

Fig. 11 illustrates the facing operation;

Fig. 12 is a cross section through the completed wheel.

The wheel formed by my improved method is illustrated in Fig. 12 and comprises a cupped center portion A having a radially inwardly extending bolting-on flange B centrally apertured for engaging the wheel hub and provided with the usual bolt apertures C. Surrounding the portion A is a reversely dished portion D and projecting outward from this dished portion are spokes E of inwardly opening channel cross section and which terminate in closed ends F. The ends of the spokes fit within the rim G and are secured thereto preferably by rivets H passing through said rim and the closed spoke ends F.

thereof. In this operation the outwardly projecting convolutions of the scalloped edge I register with alternate corrugations, and this metal is drawn radially inward to close the ends of these alternate corrugations. The blank is next notched at K between closed corrugations to separate the same as indicated in Fig. 7, after which the blank is again pressed between dies L and L as shown in Fig. 8 to fashion said closed end corrugations into channel spokes. Finally, the blank is again pressed between dies M and M as indicated in Fig. 9, to bring it to its final form as illustrated in Fig. 10. The bolting-on flange is formed from the web portion of the cup I by piercing and fashioning the same, but as these operations do not difier from those ordinarily employed in forming such flange, they will not be described in detail. If desired, the channel portions of the spokes may be faced off as indicated in Fig. 11 by the operation of a suitable facing cutter such as N.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal spoked wheels, the steps of forming a blank with a cupped central portion and a surrounding an nular flange, scalloping the peripheral edge of said flange, dishing said flange, corrugating the outer portion of said dished flange and thereby drawing in the projecting scallop-s and forming thereof closed ends of alternate corrugations.

2. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal spoked wheels, the steps of pressing a circular sheet metal blank and thereby cupping the central portion thereof, leaving a surrounding annular flange in the original plane, scalloping the peripheral edge of said flange, dishing said flange and simultaneously corrugating the outer portion thereof and drawing in the projecting scallops and forming thereof closed ends of alternate corrugations.

3. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal spoked wheels, the steps of pressing a circular sheet metal blank and thereby cupping the central portion thereof, leaving a surrounding annular flange in the original plane, scalloping the peripheral edge of said flange, pressing said flange between complementary dies and thereby simultaneously reversely dishing the portion thereof adjacent to said cup, corrugating the outer portion and drawing in the metal of the projecting scallops and forming thereof closed ends of alternate corrugations.

4. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal spoked Wheels, the steps of pressing a circular sheet metal blank and thereby cupping the central portion thereof, leaving a surrounding annular fiange'in the original plane, scalloping the peripheral edge of said flange, pressing said flange between complementary dies and thereby simultaneously reversely dishing the portion thereof adjacent to said cup, corrugating the outer portion and drawing in the metal of the projecting scallops and forming thereof closed ends of alternate corrugations, notching out the corrugation intermediate those with closed ends and repressing to exact form.

' JOHN MACLENNAN. 

